Another One Bites The Dust?

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SteveM

SteveM

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I left my Tascam 38 on yesterday for a couple hours with the tape threaded and the capstan engaged, when I returned to it last night the capstan wasn't turning, it wouldn't rewind or fast forward and the track select buttons were out. So, I have it apart now. I found 2 fuses blown, replaced them, now everything is working but the capstan motor is still not turning. Does anyone know if all the fuses are located in that row of ten for the recorder or which may be for the capstan motor? I can't find the info in the manual. All the other fuses of those ten look fine though now since I replaced the 2 3Amp ones which had blown. The others are 7amp and 2 amp and 1 amp. Do you think the capstan motor is blown?
 
The Ghost of FM said:
The belt might have broke that drives the capstan.

Cheers! :)
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How's it going Jeff, No, I can see the belt is intact and the motor is not turning. :(
 
The manual doesn't document which fuses are for which circuit, which is unfortunate so I can't help you there. :o

When you checked the fuses, did you pull each one and test it or checked them in place? Sometimes you can get a false reading on a fuse unless you pull it due to paths that go around the fuse to give a false reading.

If the belt is OK and all the fuses check out, I'd then look at voltage regulator transistors on the motor control board for the capstan.

Did you have an electrical storm in your area during this event?

Good luck. :)

Cheers! :)
 
Actually I think we did have a storm yesterday.We also have a really old electical circuit. I didn't test them, don't have the tools but is it possible they could look good but be bad? I'll try and replace all of them and see what happens. Thanks for checking your manual. I couldn't find anything either.
 
The Ghost of FM said:
Absolutely!

A fuse element wire could break right at the end instead of in the middle of the glass tube where it's more visible.

A meter test, out of circuit, is essential.

Many simple analog meters can be bought for under 10 bucks...you should invest in one.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Analog-Multimete...44QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3188QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Cheers! :)
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Oh! I have one of those! Those have enough voltage output? Or do you look for anykind of voltage passing through it?
 
SteveM said:
Oh! I have one of those! Those have enough voltage output? Or do you look for anykind of voltage passing through it?
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You use the ohm setting....doesn't matter which one.

Take a fuse out from its holder

attach the leads from the meter to each end of the fuse...doesn't matter which color.

If the fuse is good, it will show zero ohms on the meter or very close to zero if the meter is out of calibration.

If the meter doesn't move at all, it means that the fuse is not passing a signal from one end to the other end of the fuse and it is blown...or that you haven't made good contact with the test leads. :p

Also ensure that the meter's internal battery is fresh and good...to test that, in the ohm position, again, touch the leads to each other. If the meter needle moves to the zero ohm position on the scale, the meter is working properly.

Get the picture?

Cheers! :)
 
Have you tried to move the capstan by hand?.......Might have frozen up.....sometimes that will blow fuses........ :confused:
 
1- Never leave tape threaded and the capstan running for long periods of time!

2- Unplug your main surge whenever your studio isn't in use!

-MD
 
Yeah maddogg, I guess I learned it the hard way.
Have you tried to move the capstan by hand?.......Might have frozen up.....sometimes that will blow fuses........
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That's possible because the capstan motor had been squeaking pretty bad the other day. I oiled it, twice and it stopped but I wonder if it froze up then blew the fuses. I tried turning the capstan from the front and it wouldn't turn. But I couldn't get a good grip of it either. I checked all the fuses, and they all passed on the voltmeter. I'll have to take the front off and check the belt and capstan.
 
SteveM said:
Yeah maddogg, I guess I learned it the hard way. That's possible because the capstan motor had been squeaking pretty bad the other day. I oiled it, twice and it stopped but I wonder if it froze up then blew the fuses. I tried turning the capstan from the front and it wouldn't turn. But I couldn't get a good grip of it either. I checked all the fuses, and they all passed on the voltmeter. I'll have to take the front off and check the belt and capstan.
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Yes. Dismantling the capstan system is a pain on these (well, dismantling it is okay - putting it back together is a nuisance) but it's what I'd do. Take the belt off and see whether it's the motor itself which has locked up or the capstan flywheel assembly.
 
It should spin very easily with a twist of two fingers. If not you may have some bearings that need replacing. :(
 
Beck said:
It should spin very easily with a twist of two fingers. If not you may have some bearings that need replacing. :(
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Does it spin easily with the belt attached? I think it's seeming more and more that's the case. :( Bearings in the capstan or in the capstan motor? By the sounds it was making before, it seemed a little more than just an oiling. It was actually almost a grinding squeal.
 
SteveM said:
Does it spin easily with the belt attached? I think it's seeming more and more that's the case. :( Bearings in the capstan or in the capstan motor? By the sounds it was making before, it seemed a little more than just an oiling. It was actually almost a grinding squeal.
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That sounds like bearings. And BTW, some capstan motors (like all pro decks I know of) have sealed bearings. Any liquid going into the bearing is instant death (like cleaning the capstan shaft and allowing any liquid to run down inside the motor).
 
MCI2424 said:
That sounds like bearings. And BTW, some capstan motors (like all pro decks I know of) have sealed bearings. Any liquid going into the bearing is instant death (like cleaning the capstan shaft and allowing any liquid to run down inside the motor).
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I wonder if I got oil in the bearings of the capstan motor? Would that do it? I had to put alot in there to stop the squealing. :o I'm not sure exactly what the bearings are. This is belt driven so the motor and the capstan are seperate from each other.
 
I finally got the time to look at this and I got it working again. I took the belt off and lifted the tension arm but the motor still wasn't turning, so I turned the belt hub on the motor with my fingers a little and it must have loosened up something because now it's spinning and tapes a playing fine again. I don't know if it's just a temporary fix and will happen again though. I could see scuff marks on the hub from the belt so I'm wondering if oil made it's way onto the belt and when the fuses blew it froze up the motor somehow. Or maybe the scuffs marks were from before when it needed to be oiled. I have no idea.
 
SteveM said:
I finally got the time to look at this and I got it working again. I took the belt off and lifted the tension arm but the motor still wasn't turning, so I turned the belt hub on the motor with my fingers a little and it must have loosened up something because now it's spinning and tapes a playing fine again. I don't know if it's just a temporary fix and will happen again though. I could see scuff marks on the hub from the belt so I'm wondering if oil made it's way onto the belt and when the fuses blew it froze up the motor somehow. Or maybe the scuffs marks were from before when it needed to be oiled. I have no idea.
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The scuff marks are just the wear from the current and previous belts, no doubt. It would be pretty tough to get oil on there unless you really tried.

Hopefully, it will keep working for you for a spell. :)

Cheers! :)
 
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